Frederick Douglass: An African American Hero

By:Madison Moller

Frederick Douglass life story:

Born in 1818, to a country filled with racial segregation, Frederick Douglass became a
notable figure throughout his life and by his story. His journey began as a slave at birth, his
mother, Harriet Bailey was a black slave while his father was a white man who reportedly was
his master for a period of time. Douglass was young when he was separated from his mother and
sent to live with his grandmother, Betsey Bailey. It was after being transferred to a plantation in
Baltimore, the Auld plantation, where Douglas was taught the ABCs by Sophia Auld and learned
how to read and write, ignoring the ban against teaching slaves proper education. At the age of
12, Douglass saved up enough money to buy a journal where he would journal what he had read
in the Columbian Orator, a humans rights newspaper. Eventually he credits the Columbian
Orator for beginning his career and motivation for human rights and the concept of freedom. In
1838, after two failed attempts to free slavery, it was at the age of 20 when Douglass finally
broke through slavery and was once and for all a free man. He used borrowed documents and the
Underground Railroad to head to New York, eventually ending up in New Bedford,
Massachusetts. Once a free man, Douglass began his career in writing, public speaking, and in
government. Douglass has published three successful autobiographies about his life and the
journey he took to defy the odds and beat slavery. Douglass used his life to promote and raise
awareness for the rights he believed were human rights, including womens rights and African-
American's rights.

Frederick Douglass contribution to American society:

After successfully escaping slavery, becoming a famed author, orator, diplomat, and anti-
slavery activist, Douglass left a lasting impact on the American society. Douglass used his
natural abilities of speech and writing to display the message of civil rights and anti-slavery to
the world. The Emancipation Proclamation, which freed all slaves was one of the bills Douglass
highly influenced. His involvement in the Civil War showed his dedication to what he believed
in. Not only did he promote rights, he also broke the glass ceiling to become the first African-
American to hold a high U.S. government rank. One of his most important contributions was his
three autobiographies. His book writings gave the world a glimpse of what a slave had to endure
everyday. Although Douglass was prominent in ending slavery, he also supported women's rights
and their ability to vote. Douglass left more than an impact on America, but also the world. His
powerful and meaningful speeches brought and lead to the freedom of slaves in America. His
writing brought awareness and sympathy to African-Americans. Douglass contributed more to
American society than one will ever know.